TRAGIC DISCOVERY IN EL ORO: TEENAGER FOUND DEAD WITH THREATENING MESSAGE IN PASAJE, ECUADOR

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, at approximately 07:00 in the morning, a gruesome discovery shook the canton of Pasaje in the El Oro province of Ecuador. A passerby located a discarded black bag on the sidewalk near the exterior of the César Fadul Coliseum and immediately alerted local law enforcement. Upon inspecting the contents, police discovered human remains belonging to a teenager, alongside a written note carrying threats directed against alleged informants.

Authorities officially identified the victim as 16-year-old Leslibeth Anahí García Farías. Following preliminary investigations, the National Directorate of Investigation of Deaths, Kidnappings, and Extortion (Dinased) and the Criminalistics unit established that the teenager was a student with no prior criminal record, police contact, or known connections to criminal organizations operating in the area.

Prior to the discovery of her remains, a digital video began circulating on social media networks showing the young woman under duress, appearing to be threatened with a firearm and forced to recite statements linking her to espionage against armed groups. Investigators are currently reviewing the video, analyzing the recovered pamphlet, and gathering witness testimonies and security camera footage to reconstruct the timeline of her disappearance and subsequent murder.

The incident has underscored the severe vulnerability of civilians, particularly minors, amid persistent security challenges and territorial disputes involving organized crime networks in Ecuador's coastal provinces.

The El Oro province has experienced frequent security incidents linked to local criminal factions competing for territorial control. While the exact motive remains unconfirmed by officials, the presence of the threatening message points to methods commonly used by criminal groups to intimidate rivals or communities. Local media outlets, including Teleamazonas and El Diario, have reported extensively on the ongoing inquiries, while law enforcement agencies continue searching for additional evidence and verifying the circumstances surrounding the crime.